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Specialist courier contracts

Not all parcels are neat, small brown boxes. Irregular consignments are our speciality – stone statues, flowers, medical supplies and even giant inflatable rugby balls have passed through our hands and been delivered safe and sound at their destinations.

We’ve also been trained in delivering mobility scooters and setting them up for new users.

Trust goes a long way when choosing a courier, which is why we pride ourselves in offering the personal touch in all the deliveries we make.

Should you have regular runs that simply must be in safe hands, then please talk to us and ask about our credentials. We work overnight too, so if you’d prefer or need your consignments to be moved after dark, we’d be happy to do so.

Put your courier company to the test

Trust – it’s the one overriding factor that determines the success or failure of a business relationship. When choosing a delivery partner, it’s paramount.

Deliveries that arrive on time, intact and by a personable driver, are more likely to result in you being paid on time. Queries of any sort can be used as excuses to delay payment and missed deliveries can even put your reputation on the line.

So, if you’re shopping around for a new courier, here are some questions we think you should ask, to put your potential partnership to the test:

Will your new courier company provide:

An intelligent account manager who will build close relationships with you, to get to know your needs, your regular runs, specific requirements...

Did Christmas delivery problems drive you up the wall?

Now the dust has settled, there’s time to sit down and assess how well your Christmas deliveries went for you.

Did you have nightmares or no worries at all?

We often receive calls from people at this time of year to say they never want to experience another December like the last one – full of problem deliveries, missed deadlines, lost consignments and late collections from their regular courier.

So here’s the thing; why not trial another courier to see whether you can receive a better service? Put us to the test at Courier Direct, we’d be pleased to step up to the challenge for you.

During January, we are offering 10% off your first 5 deliveries if you open an account with us. We offer a dedicated same day service across the...

Time sensitive and important deliveries

It might seem extravagant to hire a van to deliver a document or envelope but sometimes needs must. Actually we’re called upon to run very small items like these to their destinations more often than you might think.

And to lighten the load (pardon the pun!), we offer fully tracked vehicles driven by CRB checked trained drivers so we can offer you peace of mind and reliability.

Financial documents, passports, contracts, court papers, and certificates are all entrusted to us for same day delivery on a dedicated vehicle. And because we’re in touch with our drivers, we can give you up to date details on where we are, ETA’s and keep you informed should any road conditions delay our progress,

There’s a lot more to logistics than a man with a van!

You’ve seen the advert - Man with van! – what more could you want?

Well, if your consignments mean something to you, if your deadlines need to be respected, and if you’re keen to ensure your drivers aren’t breaking the law when on your business, it’s worth using the services of a well respected, reputable provider.

Take a look at some of the considerations – all of which we have covered here at Courier Direct:

Print deliveries made easy

Print is precious - we understand that - it's taken a lot of hard work, graft and money to create it. All you need is it to be delivered in one piece, safe and sound, dry, intact and on time - right?

We've been moving print since we started in business, and that's over 20 years ago now. We know that quite often, as soon as the last box is sealed, you want it on its way to the customer, without delay. That's why we're happy to be there for you, on demand, providing a fast and efficient print delivery service that's on a dedicated, well maintained sameday vehicle.

We've enjoyed long standing partnerships with print firms in Bristol, Bath, and the South West, and would be happy to let you talk to them if you need to check us out for real, just...

It’s a long road ahead…

Well, it’s finally arrived, the PM has triggered article 50 and we’re on our way out of the EU. Whether you’re happy or horrified, the reality is nothing is going to change soon.

And that includes the service you’ll receive from Courier Direct. We’ll still be here taking a keen interest in the timeliness and security of your deliveries, no matter what.

In fact right now we are delivering more goods into Europe on dedicated couriers than we have in a while, so it’s not all bad news for the UK.

We’ve been transporting lots of print too this month, it’s seems it’s the season for special promotions, shows and exhibitions. If you’d rather your driver not get caught up in the queues to deliver...

Dedicated Sameday service from a large, reliable fleet

When you’re choosing to send your goods by sameday courier, you don’t want to wait – after all that’s why you’re choosing a sameday rather than next day service.

Only a courier company with a large fleet has the capacity and flexibility to respond quickly, with the right size vehicle, when you call.

And beware – not all sameday services are the same. Some services may be sameday, but consignments are often collected and delivered in groups so whilst your parcel may be on its way at 9.30, it may not reach its destination until much later in the day. When checking prices for sameday services, make sure you are comparing like for like.

For a direct door to door service, you need a dedicated sameday courier and that’s the...

In times of uncertainty – why take risks?

Let’s face it, we’re facing times of uncertainty, perhaps more so than any other in recent history. What with shock referendum and presidential election results, a new prime minister, earthquakes and currency crashes, is there anything we can be sure of any more?

Let’s take a breath. So, we’re not exactly sure how business will fare in the coming months as we get closer to the reality of Brexit. Caution may well spread throughout commerce and industry, which means we should all do what we can to be prepared.

One way is to take a look at overheads. Right now, we’re providing permanent driver cover on a part-time and full-time basis, for some of our customers. It saves them the cost of employing a driver (pensions auto enrolment, holiday pay,...

Safe, secure sameday deliveries

Not all courier drivers are the same! Some believe that if you own a van you are by default a courier! However, when it’s your precious parcels, consignments and urgent documents in transit, you’ll want to know that they are in safe hands.

Drivers at Courier Direct are vetted, trained and tracked, so that we know all goods in transit, from the moment of collection to the moment of delivery are safe, secure and protected from damage. Drivers are CRB checked and every one of them must have a clean driver’s licence.

We have an impeccable track record for delivering goods on time and in perfect condition. Our checking process at collection includes packaging, weight regulations,...

Flexibility, versatility, compatibility – qualities of a courier partner you can trust!

We’re not exactly kicking back here and enjoying the sunshine as July rolls on into August. We’ve been called upon to travel the lengths and breadths of the UK and beyond on missions to help our customers deliver for their customers.

It’s always a pleasure, and no more so that at this time of year when the countryside is at its best.

So, just a few words this month about our approach to providing you with the best possible service you can expect from a courier company – well, 3 in fact:

Flexibility: We’ve never had as large a fleet as we have right now. From nifty little Vivaros for nipping around town, to our reliable sprinter transits, perfect for print, POS materials, engineering parts, steel, building materials,...

What would success for the Brexit leave campaign mean for your business if you send goods abroad?

Whether you export goods on a grand scale, or send a transit or two full of goods to the EU a year, you’ll no doubt be watching the great British Brexit debate with interest.

What strikes us here is the lack of detail surrounding the practical impact a vote to leave might have. We’re not writing this article to persuade you to vote in any particular way, more to discuss the affect it may have on the way you may need to change your delivery arrangements, should the leave campaign be successful.

If we do leave the EU, the open borders and free movement of people and goods will come to an end. And that means that we’ll revert to the old system of presenting additional papers...

The versatility of a sameday courier

No two days are the same here at Courier Direct. We’re often required to move the weird and wonderful for an eclectic mix of clients. And we don’t just move goods within the UK, we take trips over to Europe too, regularly, and across the sea to Ireland and the Isle of Man.

Come rain, shine, hail or high water, our dedicated vans of all shapes and sizes are on a mission to deliver whatever our customers request, to any destination of their choice.

Here’s a selection of the more weird and wonderful consignments we’ve been asked to deliver:

Ed’s Stone – do you remember at the height of the general election campaign...

When a Sameday courier service makes sense

To some people, choosing to use a sameday courier may seem like a luxury – after all you’re paying for a dedicated vehicle. It’s a bit like comparing using a taxi to taking the bus.

But there are lots of reasons why a sameday courier service makes sense and these include:

Large parcel – Costs for sending parcels are often directly related to their size and weight. You may find that an oversized parcel is indeed cheaper to send on a sameday courier. And if your goods are on pallets, it’s possible that a sameday service is cheaper than an overnight one. It’s worth asking.

Where would we be without technology?

It’s not that long ago when we were using handwritten dockets and checklists to schedule our workload. I remember back in the 1990s writing out delivery instructions for the daily influx of parcels that passed through our depot.

The phone would be ringing off the hook with customers wishing to place orders or requesting PODs, and life in the office was generally mayhem! Organised mayhem of course!

As mobile phones were very expensive still, we used in cab radios, difficult to hear due to interference, and less convenient for the drivers to use.

Things have moved on a lot since then and a lot of the arduous manual tasks are a thing of the past. Thank goodness! I wonder now how we coped and managed to get every parcel...

Relationships built on trust

We’d all prefer to do business with those we know already – because we know, like and trust them. But occasionally we’re required to place our business with a person or company whom we know little about, and that’s always a risk.

No more so than in the delivery business – no job is complete, or invoiceable until it is delivered. And reputations can be won or lost based on whether or not deliveries can be depended upon. So arguably, your relationship with your delivery provider is one of the most important in your business.

Fragile items delivered safe and sound

So, how best to keep them in tip top condition throughout their journey?

With the best will in the world, and our most careful drivers, you can’t underestimate the risk involved in moving fragile items. It’s best to be over cautious to be absolutely sure your goods will arrive intact.

So here are our tips for the ultimate protection of packages on our dedicated same day courier service:

White Van Man - menace or misunderstood?

According to Wikipedia, "White Van Man" is a stereotype found in the United Kingdom driving smaller-sized commercial vans; perceived as selfish, inconsiderate, mostly working class and aggressive.

But is that a fair assessment of hard working delivery drivers on a mission to deliver goods and services for the millions of businesses that need their attentive service day in day out, and overnight too?

Now you may say, as an employer of white van men, we’re a bit biased. But it’s never a pretty site to see the amount of bad press out there, almost on a daily basis – is it really with foundation?

Thinking of employing your own driver?

It’s tempting to employ your own driver when your business involves making regular deliveries. It keeps control of costs and delivery schedules.

But is this the best option?

Add together the cost of recruitment, salary and holiday cover plus buying the vehicle, keeping it on the road and the insurance, and it does in fact soon mount up.

And what do you do when the van is in for a service? Or even worse, involved in a bump and it’s off the road for a while – you still have to pay for your driver, and maybe the cost of a hire vehicle on top.

But you’ll have your own van on the road – with your livery, advertising your company wherever it goes....

Why partner with a South West courier

Bristol – a booming city at the heart of the South West. And situated at the intersection between the M5 north to south, and the M4 East to West - it’s the perfect location for a courier partner in the South West.

Keep your own drivers in your area

Use couriers who know the local roads, short cuts, and how to avoid the jams

Save money with back load rates

Quicker deliveries for more remote locations

Faster response times for collections in the South West

Regular shuttle runs to South Wales and major towns in Cornwall and Devon